A job interview is an interactive process during which the employer is testing to see if you are a good fit for her company, and you are trying to determine if the company can help your career. In February 2011, 3.9 million available job positions existed in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. To improve your chances of getting one of those jobs, spend some time becoming familiar with sample employer interview questions.

What Can You Tell Me About Yourself?

This is an interview question that every candidate is bound to get, and it can also be a question where you can make mistake. The employer is not interested in your personal life, your hobbies or your favorite sports team. This question is usually asked very early on in the interview, so you should focus your answer on summarizing your professional achievements. Mention your educational background, some prominent positions you have held and one or two professional accomplishments of which you are most proud.

Why Should I Hire You?

This is another question that gives you a chance to summarize your skills, but you need to do so in a way that applies directly to the company and the position. Point out the parts of your experience that make you a good candidate for the company and your past accomplishments that indicate you can find success with this new company. Discuss how the company fits in with your career plans.

What Do You Know About Our Company?

The interviewer will do her homework on you before the interview. She will read your resume, and she even might search for your name on the Internet to see your interests and accomplishments. With this question, the interviewer is trying to see if you took the time to conduct research on the company. The interviewer will know how interested you are in the position by how well you answer the question about the company's accomplishments and strengths, as well as specifics about the available position.

Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

This is another common interview question that gives the candidate a chance to explain his career goals to the interviewer. If you are not interested in a successful career, then the company will not be interested, either. Explain any goals you have for furthering your education, and if you intend to pursue a career in management. Be specific about your goals, and show that you have a career path to which you have given a great deal of thought.

About the Author

George N. Root III began writing professionally in 1985. His publishing credits include a weekly column in the "Lockport Union Sun and Journal" along with the "Spectrum," the "Niagara Falls Gazette," "Tonawanda News," "Watertown Daily News" and the "Buffalo News." Root has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the State University of New York, Buffalo.